


A Wing For a Wing

by always_play_with_fire



Category: Eternal Card Game (Video Game)
Genre: ACAB, Canon Rewrite, Gen, Incel Villain, Redemption, Revenge, War Crimes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-07
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-03-17 14:48:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28601706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/always_play_with_fire/pseuds/always_play_with_fire
Summary: “My story? No. If the history books are gonna say anything about me, I’m just a character in hers. Icaria meant a lot of different things to different folk. Tyrant, deserter, traitor, hero… I heard it all. To me, mostly she was a friend. Just one scared orphan in over her head in this world, and I was with her to the bitter end. I’ve got to say, I didn’t think it would go down this way. I used to believe in heroes. Not anymore. Justice didn’t make me feel any better. It didn’t save Argenport. It didn’t save her. And all the martyrs in the world couldn’t take down a man who succumbed to his own debts. Drink up, folks.”—Jekk
Relationships: Icaria (Eternal) & Jekk (Eternal)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	1. Street Urchin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Makto is an incel. Rolant finds an easy target for indoctrination.

Once again, Icaria found herself running through the streets of Argenport, cursing her luck. _If only I had been a bit quicker, I wouldn’t have been caught. If only the markets were more crowded, I wouldn’t have needed any coin to grab a meal. If only Wyatt actually fed any of us instead of spending all his time in his damn junkyard, we wouldn’t need to steal. If only my parents didn’t risk going to Skycrag to trade, I wouldn’t have to worry about any of this._ Icaria ducked into an empty shop to catch her breath.

“Oh hey Icaria. On the run again?” a voice gloated.

“Fuck off, Makto.”

Ugh. Makto. He always wanted to be the most powerful, in-control person in the room. Before the avalanche, he hated that his family wasn’t richer than Icaria’s, so he tried to make it up with muscle. He was several years older than her, so no matter how much she tried he was still stronger than her. He never let her forget that, even back then, but now he seriously scared her.

“You know you don’t need to demean yourself like this,” Makto said, moving closer to Icaria. Icaria ignored him.

“All this effort for a meal?” he continued, “I have food at home. Come with me.”

“No way, I told you to stay away from me, and I do not trust whatever is in your food.”

“I’m sure it tastes better than whatever your traitor parents made.”

Icaria punched him.

“Admit it, Icaria. There was no avalanche. Your parents abandoned you and joined the Clans. Wyatt doesn’t care about anything but his machines. I’m the only person who cares about you.”

“Get away from me or I’ll tell the Crownwatch.”

Makto grabbed the collar of Icaria’s shirt. “We both know the Crownwatch doesn’t care about orphans. Do you want me to tell the Crownwatch how much you’ve been stealing, or would you rather have a warm bed?”

Icaria drew a knife and pointed it at Makto’s face. “Let go of me!”

“You’d never attack me. You’re too much of a girl,” Makto taunted.

Icaria slashed his cheek, stunning him. She ran out into the street and nearly ran into a man wearing polished armor with a ridiculous green cape and mismatched arms. His right arm was normal enough, but his entire left arm was a comically large brass mechanical device.

“Oh! I’m sorry Mister, uhhh I mean sir I was just… I didn’t mean to ummmmmmm sorry…

At this point, Makto decided to show his injured face. He said something like “this crazy wench stabbed me, she’s a psycho, you know how vagrants are, probably a Skycrag sympathizer like her parents,” and Icaria kept insisting he’s a liar, don’t trust him, he started this, and the rich man just stared at them.

Finally, he spoke. “Where are your parents, little girl?”

“I’m not a little girl, I’m fifteen!”

“Very well. Where are your parents, young lady?”

Icaria stared at the ground. “I uhh, I guess Wyatt is sort of like my parent? He lives in the foundry district but he–”

The man smiled. “You’re brave, girl. We could use people as brave as you protecting our city,” he said. “No one would question your loyalty. You would be well fed. People would protect you. You would have friends. You would be a hero.”

Icaria returned his smile. “I want to join,” she said. “I could really join the Crownwatch?”

“For someone as brave as you, we have something special. Do you want to fly, girl?”

Icaria felt dizzy. She could fly? Flying was what everyone dreamed of. Would she ride a cloudsnake? A dragon?

“I could… I could really fly?”

“Of course. Follow me.”

The man took Icaria’s hand, and led her through the alleys of Argenport. Makto seethed.

“I’m not going to forget this, Icaria! I’m not done with you!” he yelled, but Icaria could safely ignore him this time. She was under the nice man’s protection.

“What’s your name, mister?” she asked.

“Rolant. I’m the Lord Commander of the city. You are under my protection.”


	2. Avigraft

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Informed consent? What informed consent‽ Rolant and the Tinkers make Icaria a Valkyrie.

As Rolant led Icaria through increasingly narrow and dirty streets, she became increasingly nervous. Rolant was wealthy. He had standing. He could set his workshops or whatever in the heart of the city. For him to be operating out of the slums, whatever he was doing he hadn’t even told the king. Icaria heard that Caiphus was just. If Rolant didn’t want him to know about this… She shuddered. When he led her underground, she spoke up: “Is this the right way? I thought we had to be high up to fly.”

“Soon. We need to pick up a bit of equipment first.”

Reluctantly, Icaria agreed. _Not like I have a choice,_ she thought. _He’s better equipped, better trained, and better connected than anyone I’ve met. I can’t run or fight._

Rolant brought her further and further underground. Some passageways twisted around in circles. Some were pitch black. Icaria was now thoroughly lost. Finally, Rolant stopped to unlock a door.

The room was brightly lit, and hot from a furnace at one end. All sorts of machinery that Icaria couldn’t recognize was scattered everywhere. The strangest bit was the workers. They had the proportions of small children, but their ears were longer than their hands. All of them, even the women, had bright red pigtails and an equally bright goatee. They had prehensile ratlike tails, which they used to manipulate objects or swing from the beams on the ceiling. Their face and hands looked like tortoise skin.

“I’ve got another subject for you,” Rolant shouted over the mechanical din.

One of the creatures dropped from the ceiling, landing uncomfortably close to Icaria. She stared at Icaria, and Icaria couldn’t tell if her eyes were really that big or if the glasses just made them look like that.

She turned to Rolant. “This is your subject? She’s only a kid!” Her voice sounded like one of the parrots at the fair.

“She’s the future of Argenport. At least, she will be if you get to work sometime before we all die of old age here. Don’t worry. No one is looking for her.”

“So you brought us an orphan.”

“I’ve come to realize it would be easier this way.”

“Did you even tell her what she would be doing? Did you tell her that–

Rolant slammed his metal fist into the wall. Icaria thought she felt the room shake. The creature stepped back.

“I hired you because I was told you were the best, damnit. That means that you don’t ask questions. It means that you don’t get cold feet in our moment of triumph. Now, hurry up.”

The creature turned to Icaria. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. Icaria felt something pinch her neck.

* * *

Icaria opened her eyes. She was lying facedown on a table. Everything hurt. She tried to lift her arms to get up, but her wrists were cuffed to the table. When she tried to turn around, her shoulders felt impossibly heavy. That was strange. She lay still for a moment. She felt normal. Her shoulders were only heavy when she tried to move. Whatever was on her back was massive, but somehow also floating.

“Help Me!” she yelled.

No one responded. Overhead, some pipes rattled. No one was coming. She broke down crying.

“someone please help me,” she whispered.

That damn creature popped up in front of her again. Hanging from the ceiling by her tail, upside down, _smiling like this was something fun, like she didn’t just_ —well, Icaria couldn’t tell exactly what she did, but she didn’t like it.

“Oh good, you’re all right! I’ve got to tell Rolant!” The creature disappeared again.

“No, Please– _(you’ve got to set me free…_

Icaria didn’t even have the strength to lift her head to track her. Defeated, she closed her eyes again.

* * *

“wake. up.”

Icaria was standing upright this time, still cuffed to the table. Rolant was staring at her.

“You were strong, girl. Be proud of yourself.”

Icaria resumed crying. “What did you do, Rolant? What did you do to me?”

“All power requires sacrifice. You said you wanted to fly. I made that possible. We will do great things together. Now, I will remove your restraints. You will follow me, carefully. You are still healing.”


End file.
